Wilbur Hess' personal photographs span from his childhood to post-retirement. He photographed his brothers, life in Larned, Kansas, his Kansas State University friends, his military service, multiple trips throughout his life, and his wife and stepchildren. His photographs chronicle the life of some of his stepchildren, who grew up in Lawrence, Kansas during the 1960s-1980s. Hess took many photographs of his pets and his home.